A tub of your favorite rocky road or mint chocolate chip ice cream may make you feel a little better when you’re not feeling that sunshiny. However, you might only regret uplifting your mood in such manner each and every time especially when the unfavorable effects are made clear by that weighing scale you are standing on or that tape measure around your waist.
Read on to know some foods that can save you from feeling down in the dumps without ruining your health or figure.
Dark Chocolate
Look for the darkest variety you can find at the supermarket or confectionery in order to reap all the mood-uplifting benefit of chocolates. The consumption of dark chocolate also helps give you instant energy and promotes better circulation.
Honey
The color and taste of honey should be enough to bring some sunshine into your life. Use it as a substitute to refined sugar so that you may enjoy honey’s ability to deal with free radicals and chronic inflammation that may cause depression.
Pastured Eggs
Eggs are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids that help improve your mood. They are also loaded with protein and B-vitamins that energize you. When shopping, look for cartons stamped with “organic” and “omega-3 enriched”.
Grass-Fed Lamb
Aside from iron that helps stabilize the mood, animals that are raised on grass pastures supply your body with higher levels of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a polyunsaturated fatty acid that helps protect the brain cells from damage.
Mussels
These mollusks are loaded with vitamin B12, a nutrient necessary for the preservation of the membranes that cover the brain cells. Mussels also contain iodine, zinc and selenium — minerals vital for the proper functioning of the thyroid which is a mood-regulator.
Tomatoes
The consumption of tomatoes is perfect each time you are feeling unhappy. That’s because they are packed with lycopene, a red plant-based pigment that safeguards the brain cells from chronic inflammation.
Asparagus
Tryptophan in asparagus is an amino acid that is necessary for the production of serotonin. A quick way to know the primary function of serotonin is by taking a look at its nickname: happy hormone.
Blue Potatoes
You may have to scour the local farmers’ market just to get your hands on blue potatoes. These hybrid spuds are packed with anthocyanins and iodine, nutrients that safeguard the brain cells and regulate the mood respectively.
Swiss Chards
Magnesium in Swiss chards is a mineral that is known to help improve not only the mood but the memory as well.
Greek Yogurt
Its texture is a delight to the mouth. Its high-calcium content helps ward off poor memory, inability to concentrate, irritability, anxiety and depression. Greek yogurt is also loaded with good bacteria that benefit the gut and immune system.
Lemon Macaroons
The moment you take a bite is when the true mood-boosting prowess of lemon macaroons becomes evident. Other than being flavorful, the star ingredient which is lemon also contains flavonoids that help promote healthy brain cells.
